3 March 2007

Press release on the occasion of the visit of the Mayor of Ramallah, Palestine to Birmingham on the 6th and 7th of March 2007 The Birmingham Ramallah Twinning Initiative (BRTI) is very pleased to announce that her Excellency Mrs Janet Michael, Mayor of Ramallah, Palestine will be visiting Birmingham on the 6th and 7th of March. The purpose of her visit is to further develop the links that have been established between individuals and organisations in Birmingham and Ramallah and to provide the people of Birmingham with a first hand account of the situation in the Occupied Palestinain Territories.

Her visit to the United Kingdom also coincides with International Women’s day on the 8th of March. Mrs Michael will then visit Oxford which has established a friendship arrangement with Ramallah and will culminate in an International day event in London organised by the Britain Palestine Twinning Network. The initiative to develop links between the two cities leading to twinning was established in 2004 following a visit by a group of British trade unionists from Birmingham to Palestine/Israel. Since then a number of visits by Palestinians to Birmingham and Britons to Ramallah have taken place.

Commenting on Mrs Michael’s visit Kamel Hawwash, Chair of BRTI said “We are delighted that Mrs Michael has accepted our invitation and for the opportunity her visit will provide for us in Birmingham to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and to focus on developing concrete links between the citizens of the two cities. Her visit will bring hope to the Palestinian people and will also bring Birmingham to the attention of people in the Middle East at a time when relations between people in the Middle East and the West have been strained as a result of recent events”. Her visit will include meetings with the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, the Mayor of Walsall and representatives of trade unions and faith communities in Birmingham. She will address sixth formers at Kings Norton Boys School and will meet members of Responding to Conflict (RTC), which is involved in a project that brings Palestinians and Israelis together in Birmingham and in Palestine/Israel.

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For further information and to interview Mrs Michael contact:

Iqbal Tamimi, Press Officer for BRTI Tel: 07805056810

Kamel Hawwash, Chair BRTI

Tel: 07765892702 Caroline Johnson, Secretary BRTI, Tel: 07855645199